Vlasina Lake

Vlasina Lake (Serbian: Власинско језеро, Vlasinsko jezero) is a semi-artificial lake in Southeast Serbia. Lying at an altitude of 1,211 metres (3,973 ft), with an area of 16 square kilometres (6.2 sq mi), it is the highest and largest artificial lake in Serbia. It was created in 1947–51 when the peat bog Vlasinsko blato (Vlasina mud) was closed off by a dam and submerged by the waters of incoming rivers, chiefly the Vlasina.

There are two permanent islands on the lake, along its eastern coast: Dugi del (7.84 hectares or 19.4 acres) and Stratorija (1.82 hectares or 4.5 acres).[1] Along with those islands, one of the lake's most famous features are the floating islands, occurring when at high water level loose chunks of peat 0.5 to 2 metres (1 ft 8 in to 6 ft 7 in) thick break off the shore. Driven by the wind, they float from one shore of the lake to another, carrying the flora and fauna, and serving as shelter and a food source for fish. For that reason, they are an attractive target for fishermen. The largest such island has an area of 8 hectares (20 acres), and is referred to as "Moby-Dick" by the local population. It is overgrown with dense vegetation, including birch trees. However, most of the time it is anchored along the shore.